Leo followed him out of the room, the heavy door shutting behind them. Kian, from halfway up the stairs, heard Leo calling his name. He turned, seeing in Leo's worried expression as he went down the stairs to stand directly in front of him.
"You don't look good," Leo said, concern was in his face.
"What can you do to make me feel better?" Kian said, raising an eyebrow and looking at his eyes.
Leo pulled out a colorful piece of candy from his pocket, holding it out as if it was a crucial gift. "All I have is a candy," he said, the serious look in his face unlike his gesture.
Kian smiled softly, taking the candy and putting it into his mouth. With a sudden motion, he ruffled Leo's hair, turned back and continued going up his room. "Get ready," he said without looking back, it seemed that his tired look faded away.
As they prepared, all the guests were ready to leave the mansion. Harry, was waiting on the first floor for Kian.
"Can we talk?" Harry gestured toward the terrace on the third floor of the mansion. Without hesitation, Kian followed.
"I don't understand why you do that," Harry said, his eyes searching answers.
Kian remained silent, waiting Harry to finish his sentence.
"I can guess you shared the video in the group," Harry continued, his tone fluctuating from curiosity to blame.
Kian's smile widened, "Why do you think so?" he asked.
"Well … 'If something like this happens again' isn't in your vocabulary. It's not the last thing you'd do to just close the matter without getting to the bottom of it," Harry pressed, his voice fastened with frustration.
A flicker of approval flashed in Kian's eyes. "It seems dangerous that you know me so well. Have I let you near me too much?"
"You know I'm a good observer," Harry replied, his tone calm.
"Hmmm… you guessed it right. I shared the video. The reason is simple: I wanted to have a scandal with Leo," Kian confessed. "I was drunk yesterday. Thought a scandal would be interesting."
"Interesting? How interesting can it be?" Harry challenged.
"What Leo feared was that others would think he was using me," Kian explained, his appearance darkening. "From the very beginning, I created the conditions for Leo's worst fears to come true. Now everyone else thinks the same thing; he shouldn't be afraid anymore."
"What if it pushed Leo away from you?" Harry opposed.
"Our relationship was already headed for the abyss. I just added another problem, so it will not take so much time to solve them," Kian responded.
"It could've hurt him. What if that video ended up with the committee?" Harry advised, his voice falling.
"Whose opinion is that committee basing their decisions on? In my world, there's nothing anyone can do to Leo," Kian commented.
"Because you're the biggest threat," Harry refuted sharply.
Kian smiled darkly. "Yesterday was the first time in my life I begged someone to stay, putting my pride aside. It wasn't easy for me. What I choose to do next will probably pale in comparison to that moment."
"What I see is that your feelings for Leo are groundbreaking for you. It's making you question your very decisions. But this won't be the end. Leo has become your weak point, and it can reset the life you've built so far," Harry warned him.
Kian's eyes fizzled with newfound excitement. "I see. That makes me even more intrigued. I can't wait to discover what kind of Kian is waiting to emerge."
*
Kian's grasp on the steering wheel tensed on the driveway. Leo was sitting next to Kian, looking at the long road in front of him without saying anything. But he could feel the change in Kian's mood and the tiredness on his face.
"You feel down because of the video?" Leo asked, trying to break the silence.
"Just tired," Kian replied briefly. Leo's anxiety, surprise, and curiosity were palpable.
"And you? I guess the video bothered you," Kian said.
"Until yesterday, if you had asked me how I would feel if a video like this was released, I wouldn't have answered positively," Leo said slowly. "But for some reason, I didn't feel anything while watching it today."
Kian raised an eyebrow, confused by Leo's unusual response. "What do you mean?" he asked, his irritation barely controlled.
"I am neither ashamed nor proud to be close to you," Leo clarified, his voice stable. "It seems that I have accepted you as a part of my life."
"So, I've become ordinary for you," Kian shot back, trying control his temper.
"You've become valuable," Leo replied, an effort at comfort mixed with sincerity, but it only fueled the fire in Kian's chest.
"Thanks, but that's not enough for me," Kian said, his tone was sharp.
"Why?" Leo asked, curiosity on his face.
"The car I'm driving is valuable to me, but I can live without it. I can change it for a better one," Kian said.
"What do you want me to say? You don't accept any kind words I say," Leo protested.
"Because it feels like you're making a movie and just handing me any role—just to be in the picture. I don't want to be just someone in your life," Kian stated, his voice loud, filling the car.
"Yesterday you said you wouldn't force me to have feelings for you. But now you're doing the opposite," Leo opposed, his tone rebellious.
"If you think 'you are precious to me' or 'you are a part of my life' is enough, you're wrong. I won't hear any of that until you tell me you love me." Kian's voice dropped, but gaze was intense. "Using those words feels like you're trying to get me used to our relationship as it is. I want to hear 'I cannot live without you,' and 'you're my life'."
The atmosphere in the car had become tense and Leo thought it would not be good to prolong the matter. Leo sighed, "Well, calm down, and we'll continue later."
Just then, Leo's phone buzzed loudly on the dashboard, enlightening the cabin. The navigation display lit up, but an unknown number seen across the screen. Without thinking, Leo started the speakerphone.
"Hello?" came a girl's voice. Hearing the girl's voice, Kian's mood became even more tense.
The sudden shift in Kian's focus moved anxiety within him. As Leo's brow wrinkled in reaction, Kian unconsciously reached for the phone, only to have Leo's hand brush against his own.
"I'm Lucy. Professor's granddaughter," the voice introduced itself on the line.
Leo settled the phone closer to his ear. Without waiting for a response, Kian's gaze continued sharp on the road.
"Okay. We'll talk later," Leo said briefly before hanging up.
The car was silent, thick and suffocating. Kian glanced sideways at Leo, who had turned his face away, but he chose to say nothing. They drove the rest of the way home in anxious quiet, the unspoken words intensifying the distance that was growing between them.